System is dynamic. Answers are affirmative, yet evolving.
1. What are the different notions and conceptions about God?
Different conceptions of God are:
- Eternal Power or Energy
- Non entity or Zero
- God with form (Sakar theory)
- God without form (Nirakar theory)
- God with attributes or Determinate Absolute (Saguna)
- God without attributes or Indeterminate Absolute (Nirguna)
2. Why does man form concepts regarding God?
- If one wants to connect himself with the society then certain concepts are essential.
- If one desires something then he comes under the influence of it.
- Also man when he has to proceed towards God, initially he has to have concept of it as there is no attainment without a concept.
3. Is God one or many?
God is neither of these. Because in both we are conceptualizing Him or limiting Him.
4. When God is omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient does He need temple?
God needs no temple. Man needs temple to imprison God in it. He is unaware of the fact that God is being imprisoned in the innermost core of his heart by himself.
5. Who is God?
God is beyond definition, description and conception. If we try to define Him He is no longer God. He is what He is, He will be what he ever has been, He is where He is. He is unknown yet He is there.
8. What is meant by worship of God?
Worshipping God in other words is meditation; it is the process of waiting for Him. In other words, the student attempts to imbibe spirit of the teachings.
9. What is God’s grace? Is grace always there?
The entire mechanism of Nature is nothing but grace. To quote a simple example of grace: If there was no light one couldn’t see each other, if there was no medium of air then one couldn’t hear each other, one couldn’t breathe, if there is no water one couldn’t survive. Everyone and everything come under His grace. So grace is always there.
10. Whether God and grace are same or different?
God and grace are different. God is known through His grace.
11. Do people worship God or His grace?
It depends upon the people whether they want God Himself or something from God. Those who want something from God worship for His grace. Those who have conviction that God is in the innermost core of the heart, just wait for Him.
12. What is Adhi Bhuta?
Adhi-bhuta is a sense of transcendent power behind all Nature (eternal power outside) that produces sense of existence. Hence the worship of elements like earth, water, fire, air, ether (Aakash) started.
14. Who is Guru (Master)?
Literal meaning of Guru is: Gu means darkness, ru means removal. One who removes darkness of ignorance in us is Guru. It refers to a personality super human in form. It implies Nature personified. Guru remains the object of concentration.
15. Why is it said that God only has to come as Guru?
When our aim is to realize God then He alone can bring us near Him and none can. Hence God alone should come as Guru. To quote an example: one who has seen Delhi only can take us there.
16. What are the qualities of Guru?
The quality of real Guru has come into knowledge after the birth of Shri Ram Chandraji Maharaj of Shahjahanpur. Seeing Him some of them we can quote:
- Never considers oneself to be Guru and others as disciples. No exhibition of Gurudom.
- He is total insignificant(Nacheez), total unassuming, humility, simple fallen being, devoid of pride and greatness altogether.
- He is the connecting link between the aspirant and God.
- He does not expect any material things from his disciple.
- He is always dwelling in the state of Negation.
- He has the power to direct the Grace onto the aspirant which is called Transmission.
- He removes the darkness of ignorance and kindles light.
- He introduces the Ultimate Reality to the aspirant by introducing Himself to the aspirant.
- He considers himself to be the servant of humanity.
- He transforms the disciple like Himself.
- He does not teach anything but student learns everything in his association.
17. What is the importance of Guru in disciple’s life?
Importance of Guru in disciple’s life:
- Guru is the one who introduces God to the disciple. Hence Guru is God for the disciple.
- Entire activity of disciple is focused on Guru. Goal and Guru become one for him.
- The taste of real freedom lies in total surrender to Guru.
- Disciple is re-born with new life force transmitted by his Guru.
- Guru is all in all for the disciple.
18. When we say God alone is the real Guru, then why do we need to search a Guru?
True! God is the real Guru or Master and we get Light from Him alone. But it is extremely difficult for an ordinary talent to draw inspiration from God direct. Hence we seek the help of one of our fellow beings who has established his connection with the Almighty.
19. When does self-effort come to an end? How does the help of Guru become inevitable as we proceed in spiritual pursuit?
The help of a Guru (Master) is very essential and indispensable for those who are engaged in spiritual pursuit. The need of him grows greater and greater as we go on advancing and securing higher stages. The path becomes more slippery, with the result that higher ascent becomes arduous and impracticable. It is almost impossible to pass the intricacies due to intervening layers for the purpose of Bhog, by mere self effort. Self effort may however be possible at a few preliminary stages but subsequently it becomes highly impracticable. It has been observed that most of the sages of the past who had tried it by self effort only, remained lingering for whole life on the very first or second stage and could not cross it.
20. Can we practice referring the books, without seeking a Guide or an adept in the spiritual pursuit?
Yogic practices and Sadhana based on the knowledge acquired through books, are mostly misleading and even harmful to our spiritual advancement. They may help us to acquire superficial knowledge of things to enable us to deliver eloquent discourses on spiritual topics and to win arguments, but practical approach in spirituality through them alone is impossible. It is only the helping support of a capable guide that can take us on up to our destination. Actual Realization comes only after training in the realm of practice, and for that, knowledge or erudition proves to be of little assistance.
21. Can the guru be changed?
Yes, one can change the guru, if disciple finds the guru incapable of taking him towards his goal. On the other hand a conscientious guru will himself, under the circumstances, directs the disciple to seek another, more advanced and better qualified so that the disciple may not in any way suffer progress. It is the birth right of every man to break off from his guru at any time if he finds that he made a wrong selection or had misjudged the guru’s capacity or worth.
22. Is it advised for seeker to test the guru before accepting him as guru?
Yes, it is very much essential to test the guru before taking him as Guru.
23. How can one test his Guru?
One has to observe these things in him:
- Whether the guru has any kind of desire or looking for material benefit?
- Is he is the embodiment of his teachings?
- Is he just an eloquent speaker with no practical attainments?
- Is he exhibiting his gurudom?
- What are my inner conditions when I am with him. Do the thoughts of the world bother me? Can I remain in that condition even when I am away from him.
- Is he willing to train me?
- Has he prepared many or at least one like him?
- Is he away from all kind of pomp and show? Is he ordinary man or is there any show of his extra-ordinariness?
- Does he charge anything for training?
- How is his behavior and dealings (Vyavahar) with others? Does he differentiate between rich and poor, or based on status etc.? Or is he one and the same with all?
- Has he realized God? Because if he himself has not realized how can he guide me.
24. Is there any harm to follow many gurus?
Yes it is harmful if we follow dumb gurus without testing them. But when we say God alone has to come as Guru then there is no question of following many gurus. If we find such a personality then we just need to hold on to Him firmly. To quote a saying here: “Ekahi sadhe sab sadhe; sab sadhe sub jain”, i.e. follow only one and you will gain everything. If you try to follow many; you are bound to lose everything.
25. Why Guru is called as spiritual mother of the disciple?
Mother retains the baby in her womb for certain period. There the baby grows. When it becomes mature enough to survive in the outside world, the mother delivers the baby. Similar is the case with Guru. Here he retains the student in His mental sphere for a certain duration. During this period the disciple, like the baby in the womb, sucks his energy and gets nourishment from the spiritual waves of the Guru’s thoughts. When the time matures he is born in the Brighter world and thence his own spiritual life begins. As a mother will look out always for the comforts of her child similarly Guru will always lookout for the spiritual welfare of his disciple.
26. How people are mislead in selecting their Guru or Guide?
Innocent people get attracted by all such things:
- Showing petty miracles
- Exhibition of the knowledge of Sacred scriptures.
- Show of external appearance.
- False exhibition of their popularity.
- Hypnotism and mesmerism.
- The garb he wears which indicates privileged class of society.
- Fear complex, threat of curse.
27. Why are so many Jagat-gurus when the world which we live is one?
Question itself suggests that all are pseudo gurus.
28. Can Gurudom be monopoly of some privileged class?
No. Gurudom as a monopoly of a privileged class is only an absurdity, introduced by the professional gurus to safeguard their personal interest.
29. Can a Guru or spiritual Master lead a Grahasta (family) life?
Grahasta life is imminent to Guru or Spiritual Master and as a proof all the renowned sages and saints of yore were Grahasta’s.
30. What is the process of initiation?
Initiation is the process where the link of the disciple is connected to the Supreme Power or Reservoir of Grace.
31. What is the significance of initiation?
The spiritual force begins to flow to the disciple automatically according to the absorbing capacity he develops in himself. The connection once established shall continue as long as the disciple does not secure liberation at least.
32. When does Guru initiate the disciple?
Initiation is exclusively the Will and Wish of Guru, whenever he wants to initiate the disciple he does it. But normally speaking, when true faith exists in the disciple and divine love takes prime root in his heart then Guru of caliber initiates him.
34. We notice that the disciples are initiated by saying some words in their ears (Bheej mantra) by many gurus. Are they fooling the ignorants?
Yes. The practice of initiating a disciple (though really based on sound principle) has been much abused by most modern professionals who do not understand its significance. They say few mystical words into the ear of the disciple and tell him to follow certain ceremonial practices by way of worship. Their duty to the disciple ends with it and nothing remains for them to do for the betterment of the disciple except to give him their darshan every year and get annual tribute for him. It is a high time for the masses to open up their eyes and see what havoc has been wrought by such pseudo gurus.
35. Why people are frightened to break off with their guru after initiation?
The popularly believed principle that a disciple can never break off the sacred connection with his guru under any circumstances, is also a cunning device adopted by the false gurus to make their position safe and secure. Its nothing but a fraud. In order to keep a disciple permanently in their grip, they proclaim it as divine dictate that he shall be courting all the miseries of the hell if he ever thought of breaking off from them any time. The ignorant masses accept it as gospel truth, trembling at the very idea of doing anything which might displease their guru.
36. Why is it dangerous if man claims himself to be guru?
If man claims himself as guru it means that man has usurped the position of God, which is against the human etiquette. He has to face the consequences of it. Even if the idea of being a guru crosses one’s mind even once in life he becomes unworthy of being guru for all his life. Real Guru considers himself as the humblest servant of God.